Lawsuit filed against school district, Estancia

Male student asking for $10,000 to $25,000 for injuries sustained while lifting weights.

February 22, 2012|By Britney Barnes

An Estancia High School student is seeking $10,000 to $25,000 for injuries he said he sustained while lifting weights, according to a lawsuit filed against the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and Estancia.

The male student, through his guardian, filed the lawsuit Feb. 10 in the Orange County Superior Court.

The lawsuit alleges that the student was lifting weights during a physical education class May 23 when he was injured "due to the negligent, careless, reckless, wanton and unlawful acts of defendants."

School officials failed to properly instruct the students in how to use the equipment, how to maintain it, or were unable to control the class and supervise the students, according to the lawsuit.

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The student suffered personal injury as well as "severe, serious and psychological injury," according to the lawsuit.

In June, the student filed a claim, a precursor to the lawsuit, asking for $10,000 to cover medical treatment, pain and suffering. The school board rejected the claim Aug. 30.

The school district, which is off for ski week, has yet to respond to the suit, according to the case docket.

The law firm representing the student said over the phone Wednesday that it does not talk to the media. The lawyer representing the student did not respond to an email seeking comment.